


A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

by bluesparkle19girl



Category: Avengers (Comics), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Avenger Bucky Barnes, Avenger Loki (Marvel), Avengers Tower, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky raises Tony, Families of Choice, Gen, Graphic Description of Injuries, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, Hugs, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Hydra (Marvel), Kid Tony, Kid Tony Stark, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Bucky Barnes, Trauma, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-05 07:02:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19043539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesparkle19girl/pseuds/bluesparkle19girl
Summary: Howard knows about the takeover by Hydra doesn't care and gives Tony as something to do with as they please. Hydra lets Bucky raise him. They bond. This is their story.





	A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

**Author's Note:**

> I adore stories like this so, I figured I'd give it a try.

The tiny room is dark, the only light comes from the open door. Tony is only a toddler, unconscious and covered in injuries. The Asset is standing over him, looking over him curiously.

Outside Howard and Obadiah Stane are looking at Tony with disgust through a one-sided window, watching carefully. The two of them are not sure if the soldier remembers Howard, but they’re not taking any chances.  

Howard knew of the HYDRA takeover and didn’t care. When he found out, he quickly proved his worth by giving Tony as something to do with as they please. Tony was someone who was only useful to him by continuing the Stark legacy. Nothing more, nothing less.   

Inside one of The Winter Soldier handlers says The Asset’s control words and the instructions begin. The handler talks in a stone cold voice.    

“His name is Tony. Take care of this runt. Teach him things. Make him a Man of Iron. Above all else make sure the child is alive when we return.”

The soldier nods, then the handler leaves the room.

The soldier has never been near kids, not to his knowledge anyway. A feeling of warmth courses through his body. He does not know what the feeling is, but he likes it and he will figure it out later. So, for the time being, he will focus on keeping the kid alive.

* * *

The kid doesn’t talk at first. The handlers are very annoyed with this, it is obvious to The Asset. One day a group of them get pissed and try to hurt Tony. The Asset sees this and immediately pounces on them, beating them up and breaking several bones. Once the handlers scramble out The Asset pulls the kid into a tight embrace. That’s when Tony says his first word.

“Safe.”

The Asset looks down at the kid and nods.

“Yeah, you’re safe.” The Asset says.

The Asset looks at the window and has a sinking feeling that, this won’t be the last time he needs to protect the kid. The two of them bond fairly quickly after that.

* * *

He turns out to be right, in a matter of months The Asset is going out to do missions again, leaving the kid alone. When he returns the kid is always covered in bruises.

The Asset always treats the wounds and cuddles the kid for hours on end when it happens.

As the years go by, The Asset discovers a lot of things about the kid. The kid’s smart, insanely smart. It is impressive. The Asset teaches Tony several languages during the time they are together. Tony is always eager to learn anything anyone is willing to teach him. The Asset teaches him Russian, and tells him stories of what he remembers about life before he was the soldier.

The abuse gets more and more disturbing over time. So much so that, The Asset starts taking Tony on missions.

It works so well that it becomes a routine. The Asset sneaks him out of the room, puts him in a carrier he made, and takes him on missions. The missions are more then just killing these days, The Asset has no doubt that Tony has a role in that. HYDRA only cares that the job gets done, not what method the soldier uses.

Depending on what the targets have done, The Asset plans a course of action. If they are low-level threats, The Asset informs the victims of what’s going on and they give The Asset pieces of their hair, skin, and blood samples to show HYDRA and then they leave. If the targets are not a threat to a city or state, The Asset will gather up the evidence and turn it into the authorities. If the targets are a major threat, The Asset goes to SHIELD and leaves evidence with Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, and Peggy Carter to handle.

The Asset does this because he remembers Peggy vaguely, HYDRA does not know this, and The Asset has no intention of letting them find out. When the Asset does this it is at night and Tony is asleep, no-one notices the carrier.

* * *

Howard shows up one day. He orders to see Tony. The Asset brings Tony, hand on his shoulder, watching Howard with pure anger in his eyes. The Asset has told Tony everything he knows about Howard and Obadiah Stane, so Tony knows to be vigilant. 

“Anthony.” Howard says flatly.

Tony nearly replies in Russian, but The Asset stops him by squeezing his shoulder.

“Hello, sir.” Tony replies.

“Let’s go.” Howard says.

Tony nods, then turns to The Asset and whispers in Russian, _“Be ready to come and get me.”_

The Asset nods, and then Tony leaves the room with Howard.

Three days later, The Asset hasn’t heard from Tony. After the Asset found Tony injured for the first time when he was away on a mission, The Asset started planning on ways to contact Tony when they were apart. One of the ways The Asset came up with, was giving Tony one of the intercoms the handlers often used, along with a tracking device.

The Asset was starting to get panicky, the last thing he needs is to mess up his missions and get in trouble. Suddenly the intercom comes to life.

 _“S.O.S.”_ Tony whispers in Russian.

 _“On my way.”_ The Asset says. 

* * *

When the Asset ends up at the Stark Mansion, he hides in the bushes, turns on the tracker so Tony knows he’s outside and waits.

The com goes off again, “In basement.” Tony whispers.

The Asset opens a window and manages to slip down to the basement without being seen.

When he gets down there, he sees Tony against the wall, a thick Iron chain wrapped around his neck. Blood covers him from his head to his toes and tears are streaming down his face. The Asset rushes to his side and breaks the chain.

“What happened? The Asset says urgently, as he frees Tony.

“Howard and Obadiah hurt me.” Tony says quietly.

“They what?!” The Asset says, voice full of fire.

“I showed them how smart I was and they didn’t like that. Howard wants me to be like Captain America.” Tony says matter-of-factly.

The Asset, for a brief moment, sees a boy with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. He is skinny one moment, with old looking clothes, then buff and in a red, white and blue outfit the next.

The Asset comes back to the present and says compassionately, “You do not need to be anyone but yourself. No matter what, you will always have me.” The Asset says, as he finishes freeing Tony and pulls him into his arms.

Tony curls into the embrace and sighs contently.

“One more thing.” Tony says, as he leaves The Asset’s embrace and heads to the wall, opens a panel, pulls out a box, opens it, and empties its contents.

The Asset’s code book, a walkie-talkie, a map, a letter, and a knife are laid out on the floor.

“How did you get all of this?” The Asset asked.

“I grabbed the book when we left, so we could escape HYDRA. Take a look at the letter.”

The Asset opens the letter and reads it. The letter is an order to kill Howard and Maria because they have lost use for them.

“What do you want to do?” The Asset asked curiously.

Tony takes the walkie-talkie, and hands The Asset the knife and map, and says, “Free you then we need to separate for a while.” Tony says sadly.

“What? How?” The Asset says shocked.

“It’s the only way. I’ve been talking to Fury, Phil, and Peggy; she has the other walkie-talkie, once I free you and destroy the book, you need to meet with Natasha; she is a victim of HYDRA as well. You need to protect each-other until Fury finds you. Then you need to stay with them. I will find you one day, I promise.” Tony says, as tears stream down his face.

“Are you sure?” The Asset asked.

Tony nods and hugs The Asset again.

“Thanks for giving me a better life then Howard ever could.” Tony says when they pull apart.

“Your welcome.” The Asset replies.

* * *

Years later, Bucky is living in New York in an apartment and has regained his memories. He and Natasha lost track of each-other after three years together. Then Fury found him and Bucky stayed with SHIELD, got himself some help and is one of SHIELD’s best agents. It is a good life, but he wonders what happened to Tony after they separated. He keeps the knife as a reminder, its protected him a lot over the years. Fury had been ordered by Tony to not contact him until Tony goes through therapy for the trauma he has suffered. Bucky understands that, but he misses him terribly.

2012 comes around and The Avengers are formed. Bucky sees Steve again and tells him what happened after he fell off the train, but not about Tony and the abuse he suffered, or what Howard did with HYDRA, just because he’s not sure Steve would be able to handle it.

Bucky finds Natasha again; she had been captured by HYDRA again and became an assassin. Clint brought her to SHIELD and they became partner’s and friends.

When Bucky meets Clint, he thanks him for helping Natasha. Clint tells him he will do anything to help those in need.

Bruce is the second smartest men Bucky has ever met, aside from Tony. Bucky often works with him, so he has a friend and so that he can understand what Tony talked about so often.

Thor is a massive man and a very adventurous person. Bucky thinks that once he gets time off, he will travel for a time.

Loki is someone who is a very observant and strategic person. He reminds him of Tony. Loki also has some tendencies that Tony had as a child. So, Bucky keeps an eye on him, just in-case he needs to protect him, like he protected Tony all those years ago. 

When Fury introduces Iron Man, Bucky knows immediately that it’s Tony. Iron Man has the same energetic personality that Tony has, and seems as intelligent as him to.

Bucky wants to ask but he thinks that it would be rude and he doesn’t want to get his hopes up if he’s wrong.

* * *

When the Avengers move into the tower that Iron Man has built for them, Bucky decides he can’t wait any longer and corners Iron Man in his lab one sunny afternoon.

“Tony?” Bucky asked nervously.

Iron Man turns around, removes his helmet and says in a very joyful tone, “Hello, Bucky.”

Once those words leave Tony’s mouth, Bucky rushes to him and pulls him into a tight embrace.

“I’m so glad you’re safe. I’ve missed you so much. Bucky says.

“I’ve missed you too.” Tony says.

“What happened after we last saw each other?” Bucky says, as he and Tony pull apart.

“I went to live with Edwin Jarvis and his wife Anna, they worked with Howard and Maria. When they met me, I was very shy and it took a little time for me to get use to them. They loved me unconditionally. They nurtured my intelligence and I got into college as a teenager. Peggy became my honorary aunt and helped raise me as well. Obadiah never was brought to justice until after I got hurt in Afghanistan because I inherited Stark Industries and Obadiah was selling Stark weapons to terrorist groups. That’s when I made this armor. Before all of that, I went to therapy to help with my trauma and had a pretty normal life. What about you?” Tony says.

“I stayed with Natasha like you asked me to, for three years until I lost track of her. Fury found me soon after and I became one of SHIELD's best agents. I found an apartment in New York and thought about you every day. I never told Steve anything, mostly because I didn’t think he could handle it.” Also, how do you know about Natasha, Phil, Peggy and Fury?” Bucky says.

“I was awake sometimes during your missions and heard you talking to yourself when you left notes for them. During the three days Howard had me over at his house, I met Peggy, Phil, and Fury because the three of them were having a meeting for SHIELD and Peggy saw me. Once the meeting was over, Peggy and the others looked for me. I took them to my room and told them everything and showed them your trigger words as proof. We formed a plan, and after they left I built a circuit-board for Howard and Obadiah, they got pissed, beat me up and chained me to the wall. The two of them didn’t think the two of us had become so close so, they didn’t search me. When they left me alone, I contacted you to come and get me, after that I called Peggy, Phil, and Fury to be ready to bail me out of there. When I called them, they had captured Natasha, I told them to let her meet up with you, so that both of you could live a normal life for a while, before getting a job to protect people again. Because I heard from one of your handlers that you had trained with Natasha, and I figured that you would be comfortable being with a familiar face. I didn’t know she had gotten captured by HYDRA again until after I became an Avenger.” Tony says.

Then there are a few seconds in silence until Tony breaks it.

“Do you want to tell them about our past?” Tony asked.

“Do you want to?” Bucky asked.

“Yes. I hate keeping secrets from my new family.” Tony says.

* * *

They head upstairs to the common room. The other Avengers turn to face them when they see them.

“We are only going to say this once, do not interrupt. Once we’re done you can ask whatever questions you want.” Tony says bluntly, as he sits next to Steve and Bucky sits next to Tony.

“Bucky and I know each-other.  He raised me, Howard knew about the HYDRA takeover and didn’t care. I was someone who was only useful to him by continuing the Stark legacy. Nothing more, nothing less. Bucky’s handlers constantly abused me, Bucky protected me and taught me things.” Tony says.

“When I could I took Tony on missions with me at night when he slept. I gathered up evidence and turned it into the authorities, or to SHIELD depending on the severity. One day, Howard came for Tony. When they left Tony managed to steal the book that contained my trigger words. When he arrived at the mansion, he met Phil, Fury, and Peggy, and came up with a plan to save both of us. Then Tony showed Howard and Obadiah how smart he was, they got mad, beat him up, and trapped him in the basement. Howard and Obadiah didn’t think we had become close so they didn't search him, so he called me with an intercom and a tracking device I gave him after we were apart for the first time. Along with, Peggy, Phil, and Fury.” Bucky continues.

“I met Natasha that day, along with Fury, Peggy, and Phil. We planned everything out. They gave me a box filled with things we would both need, I pried open a panel in the wall, put the book inside the box, then put the box in the wall and waited. Bucky rescued me, then we went our separate ways. When Howard and Maria died in a car crash orchestrated by HYDRA, we got my files and made Jarvis and Anna my primary caregivers because Howard and Maria never me in the will. I went to therapy to deal with my trauma and you all know what happened next. So, in conclusion, I wasn't raised by Howard and Maria, I wasn't raised by paid nannies, I wasn't raised by Edwin Jarvis and his wife Anna and aunt Peggy until after I got out of HYDRA. I spent the majority of my childhood in a tiny room in a HYDRA base raised by the most feared assassin.” Tony finishes.

“Oh God.” Clint says shocked.

“My word.” Bruce says completely caught off guard.

“I should’ve killed them.” Natasha says, voice full of fire.

“If they were still alive, I would seek vengeance.” Loki says.

“As would I, brother.” Thor says.

Steve pulls Tony and Bucky into his arms, “I’m so, so, sorry. I wasn’t there for either of you.”

“You couldn’t have known.” Tony says, as he leans into the embrace.

“Yeah, it’s not your fault.” Bucky says, as he does the same.

“We are here for you now and we always will be.” Loki says.

The others make noises in agreement.

Tony and Bucky smile happy to have finally found a home and peace. A light at the end of the tunnel after everything that had happened to them all those years ago.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is welcome :)


End file.
